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Tour notes

Each departure date has it's own dedicated tour note, detailing all you need to know about that tour. Whether you've already booked, or weighing up your options, please choose carefully the relevant itinerary for you.

We have the following different versions of the North India Explorer tour available at present.

The add on trip to Amritsar and visiting the Golden Temple and drifting down the Ganges. Just hurtling through manic streets in a tuk tuk [auto rickshaw]was an adventure every journey. Hang onto your hat.

Take baby wipes, alcohol hand cleaner, ignore beggars, be strong in the face of so many things you may find disturbing. See through the dirt and poverty, to the beauty within, enjoy the life changing and mind broadening experience. Don't expect not to be shocked, accept what you see. Enjoy it to the full, it's not for the fainthearted.

Do You Have Anything Else To Add

India is such a land of contrasts. Travelling by train is an experience, be prepared for long delays: always carry a loo roll. Be prepared to be mentally, physically and emotionally challenged. India above all is a country which you have to embrace, and so enjoy to the full, warts and all.

An excellent tour leader who kept us together without any pressure whatsoever. We were always on time for trains and buses and in a chaotic country he remained calm at all times.

What Tips Would You Give To Someone Else Booking This Tour

Don't forget that Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi and Kolkata can be very polluted mostly as a result of traffic fumes. Take a silk scarf to avoid the worst when travelling in tuc-tucs etc.

Do You Have Anything Else To Add

I would suggest that for a few more rupees you should book 2 tier sleeper compartments rather than 3 tier which can be very noisy and result in little or no sleep. I do not think that the leg to Kolkata was worth it. It was a long way to go (16 hours by train) for very little time in the resort.

2Marcella Nathan,
20/11/14

What was the highlight or most memorable moment of your tour?

There were many but I think it would have to be visiting and staying at Hampi

Anuj was the Northern tour leader and he worked hard for us. I couldn't always understand his accent but he was helpful.He also walked too fast.Lucas was our southern tour guide, I understood him better, and he was helpful too. He also walked too fast, and I got left behind sometimes if I took a photo.

What Tips Would You Give To Someone Else Booking This Tour

Take less clothes and wash them at the hotels, smaller luggage as lots of train journeys with no lifts to get to platforms just loads of steps.Don't expect any rest, it is an exhausting itinerary.

Do You Have Anything Else To Add

I think there were far too many overnight train journeys where no one was able to really sleep because of the uncomfortable beds/seats and the toilets are filthy. I dreaded each one after the first-so did most of the group.

Narji was outstanding. Offering so much extra, such as the elephant ride to one of the palaces rather than walking, music on one of the boat trips down the Ganges, organising samosas for us as we sat on the steps by the Ganges, not to mention his knowledge of history and so much else.

What Tips Would You Give To Someone Else Booking This Tour

Travel as light as you can, and if you happen to be blond (or if you have a silver moustache) be prepared to be an object of great interest to the locals!

4.5,
24/01/14

Name

Veronica Lovell

Tour Name

North India Explorer

Tour Code

QIN

What Was The Highlight Or Most Memorable Moment Of Your Tour

Eating under the stars on the banks of the Ganges as part of our camping expedition - absolutely magic.

Tour Leader Name

Raj

How Was Your Explore Tour Leader

Excellent - deserves a medal or two. Thoughtful, caring, seemingly prepared for all eventualities. Great guide and an asset to the company

What Tips Would You Give To Someone Else Booking This Tour

Go with an open mind and an open heart.

Do You Have Anything Else To Add

Not a relaxing trip by any means, but stimulating, vibrant and absorbing. There is plenty of sightseeing - forts, palaces, markets, mosques, temples and workshops. The colour and movement on the streets is breathtaking - be prepared for anything and be shocked by nothing. Your cameras will work overtime.........

4.5,
06/12/13

Name

Chris

Tour Name

North India Explorer

Tour Code

QIN

What Was The Highlight Or Most Memorable Moment Of Your Tour

There were two... Holi festival, which happened while our tour was in Udaipur and secondly revisiting Varanasi following a two-day trip by boat down the Ganges.

Tour Leader Name

Sabhi

How Was Your Explore Tour Leader

Well, we had three!! Firstly in Delhi we met Gordan who really only welcomed us and accompanied us to a restaurant in Delhi the first evening. Ummedd took over until we left Udaipur. He was really great in Delhi, showed us Old Delhi, Chandi Chowk, Sikh temple and the great Mosque, We got a sense of excitement from his approach and felt we were part of what was to be a really fascinating journey. Here we had great fun. He was repalced by Sabhi on arrival in Pushkar (I'm sure you are aware of the issues). Sabhi was good but I felt he perhaps did it by the book and I missed some of the excitement that Ummedd provided... though I cannot condone his misconduct. However I must applaud Sabhi for taking over so quickly given his personal circumstances and behaving impeccably.

What Tips Would You Give To Someone Else Booking This Tour

If you want everything organised for you this trip will provide it but the emphasis is on the group experimenting a little and deciding what and when to do things. I enjoyed the use of local transport and all the chaos that this can generate. I was very impressed at the accuracy of what the tour delivered and the professionalism of out tour guide Abhi. He would suggest something e.g. where to eat or go and we always had an option of suggesting something else. Nothing was "fixed" such that we could not suggest alternatives, indeed we were given alternative/options quite often. I would say, go into the tour with the spirit of excitement for the unknown.

Do You Have Anything Else To Add

It was a good combination of scheduled and non scheduled activity, giving everyone a chance to indulge in the culture and to rest when needed.

THERE WERE SO MANY HIGHLIGHTS ON THIS HOLIDAY BUT APART FROM THE TAJ MAHAL IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE TIME SPENT FLOATING DOWN THE GANGES AND VISITING A VILLAGE SCHOOL ON THE WAY TO MEET THE CHILDREN ALSO SOME OF THE BEST FOOD OF THE HOLIDAY.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

OUR TOUR LEADER UMED WAS EXCELLENT AND COULDN'T DO ENOUGH FOR US ALWAYS VERY HELPFUL AND GOOD COMPANY

Do you have anything else to add?

THE REASON I PICKED THIS TOUR WAS BECAUSE MOST OF THE TRAVELLING IS DONE BY TRAIN HAVING SAMPLED INDIA ROADS I THINK I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION .AS FOR TIPS I WOULD GIVE TAKE A FLEECE AND SOMETHING TO WHERE IN BED SOME OF THE EVENINGS WERE COOL.IF YOU WANT TO WEAR SHORTS MAKE SURE THEY COVER YOUR KNEES AND IF YOU SEE SOMETHING EARLY IN THE HOLIDAY YOU WANT TO BUY GET IT THEN YOU MAY NOT SEE IT AGAIN

5Vanessa Plessas,
01/02/13

What was the highlight or most memorable moment of your tour?

The Ganges sailing trip which included the overnight camping. It was so relaxing sailing down the Ganges. A lovely chance to relax after the chaos and noises of some of the cities. We were lucky enough to see dolphins. The boatmen looked after us so well, cooked delicious food and made a camp fire. There was also an amazing sky full of stars and an impromptu game of cricket after breakfast. A stop at one of the villages by the Ganges brought us to an old English cemetery - it was fascinating to capture part of the British History there reading the grave stones. Also the visit to the Taj Mahal at sunrise and the second chance to see it at sunset- truly memorable

Excellent - always available - really helpful - did his upmost to look after us and ensure we were well looked after.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Check carefully the type of weather you would expect and pack accordingly - we were fine with mostly jeans, light tops, fleeces/jacket. Wish I'd had a hot water bottle at a couple of the hotels but they did provide extra blankets and room heaters. be prepared to "rough it" a bit !

Do you have anything else to add?

if you want to see as much of the "real" India and don't have loads of time to spare then this trip is highly recommended. It is a budget trip but I believe that being a "budget" trip gives you the chance to get glimpses of India that you may otherwise not see... you will travel on autorickshaws and cycle rickshaws, travelling on the overnight trains you will see platforms lined with people and many different types of animals ! You will see carriages packed with locals but don't worry you will always have a bunk or a seat booked for you. Doing some of the travel on public transport really gives you the chance to experience real travel in India - having said that the days when we were dropped from one site to another in a tourist mini bus were much appreciated too ! You will see both sides of India - the squalor and acute poverty and the middle classes and smart shopping malls. And also of course, a host of beautiful and interesting sights, delicious food - overall an unforgettable trip.

0Lisa,
27/03/12

I have recently returned from the North India Explorer trip which departed on 3rd March 2012. I have been on numerous trips with yourself and Exodus, and just wanted to provide some feedback with regards to Abi our tour leader.

By far Abi has been the best tour leader I have experienced on any of my trips and a role model for other tour leaders. From the outset he was approachable, friendly, flexible and interested. He made considerable effort to get to know each member of the group and ascertain their individual requirements. He went out of his way to make the trip fun, informative and exciting, and made sure we experienced the real India by immersing us into his own family life and local culture and engaged fully within the group and activities. He showed considerable care to those single travellers within the group ensuring he was contactable at all times if we needed assistance, and was always willing to resource opportunities for us to sample further/different aspects of the Indian culture. More simple things he provided that can often be time consuming when travelling, was he carried a supply of postage stamps and arranged money exchange, all of which took away any hassle in the trip allowing us to fully enjoy the cultural experience.

Often clients tend only to provide negative feedback, however on this trip I can only provide positive, it was well organised, good value for money, a fantastic group and a wonderful tour leader resulting in one of the best trips I have taken to date